Gunner lived in some style on fort slopes

Many will know of it, for I would think it lasted into the 1970s or 1980s.

It was the home of the master gunner at the fort and by its appearance not a house to dismiss.

Some recently built flats occupy this space now, leading down to the roadway, quite modest in height and attractive with it.

The gunner's house, after a long period of emptiness, suddenly became the first yacht club for Cresta Marina as it developed onwards from the 1960s.

I was invited in for a well presented meal and the place certainly had atmosphere, but for that purpose it was rather restricted, so no surprise when building materials arrived at the site of the recently closed Villa Adriana and the first yacht club resulted at this suitable location.

Between the wars the first location for this nautical necessity was at the then Sheffield Hotel, now known as The Harbourside and, I understand, again the home for this club.

Several little stores were dotted about the land behind the gunner's house, but the fair sized building going away on the right, just before the tree, was in fact the Army hospital.

I well remember visiting it with George Jakens of Seaford in 1971, feeling that with reasonable size and seen by all seafront traffic, quite a good place for a first museum, but demolition was soon due so we had to look elsewhere.

The tree obscures the location of the Ark House but it will just appear in the next photo.

Now abreast the recreation ground, the famous 'stink pipe' comes to view. It must have served its purpose well for I have no recollection of any offence. That was to happen further towards the sea, just before the Green Light (as it used to be). Here the town sewer emptied into the river on an ebbing tide.

Some Sundays were better than others when it came to the usual Sunday walk to 'see the boat out'.

So now we have reached Gibbon Road, such as it was, with its first six houses.

The pond/lake is still at the far end of the rec. This, of course, resulted from digging for clay to make the bricks to build the fort.

Leading up the grass slopes from Gibbon Road is a white smudge. This is chalk showing through an over trodden grass.

At these times there were many army camps in the now Western Road area and perhaps it was the result of excessive tramping of army boots down to Gibbon Road and then to the fort, or soldiers seeking evening entertainment and refreshment at the Sheffield Hotel or the Hope Inn.

The chalk effect appears in many pictures over many years. In this photo there are many white bell tents in the area of Western Road.

The paddle steamer at the lay-by berth in Sleepers Hole is most probably the Paris III, awaiting sale, which occurred in 1912 and a likely date of the picture.

PETER BAILEY

Peter Bailey is curator of the Newhaven Local and Maritime Museum based in its own fascinating premises in the grounds of Paradise Park in Avis Road, Newhaven. Winter opening hours are Saturdays and Sundays, 2-5pm or by arrangement. Admission 1 (accompanied children free). Contact the curator on 01273 514760. Log on to the website at www.newhavenmuseum.co.uk